Hi. I'm new to Linux; running a full installation of SlackoPuppy 6.3.2 on an old Latitude C400. Ethernet works just fine, but I'm running around in circles trying to get it connected to wifi. Both frisbee and the Network Wizard fail to find anything but the ethernet adapter, even autodetecting for modules in the Network Wizard failed.

I've done a bunch of searching in general on this, but I've still gotten no where. I tried using ndiswrapper on some drivers for the Truemobile 1150 wireless card (which apparently has problems when used with Linux, although people have gotten it to work before) downloaded directly from Dell, but that didn't work. I also tried installing the Orinoco firmware from http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=69721, but the modules that installed didn't work either. Most recently I followed the discussion in http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=7113 and installed rerwin's slmodem pets (found through the Puppy Package Manager), but it doesn't seem to have worked either

I feel like I'm way out of my depth here, and was hoping someone would be able to lend me a hand. I'd really like to just stick with 6.3.2 and not switch to other distributions, since I'd rather not buy a pack of blank discs because I don't use them. As one last note, here's the output of running lspci in a terminal:

Hi matchpoint. Just frazzled by all of this is all, haha. I wanted to use this thing for school, and I wasn't comfortable having 526 RAM run Puppy, MS Office via WINE, and a web browser at the same time.

Not sure how relevant this is, but I picked it up from a thrift store. Before wiping the hard drive and installing Puppy, it was running Win2000 and all seemed to be in order. Funnily enough it apparently used to belong to my university (registered under a professor's name and still with the 'university property' stickers on it), so I doubt any hardware's been removed or added since it was first purchased.

Dongles are usually the best way to go when you've got awkward cards. I know it means a few shekels spent (minimal outlay, really), but those two in particular work well with Puppy, and have plenty of support here on the Forums.

Not sure how relevant this is, but I picked it up from a thrift store. Before wiping the hard drive and installing Puppy, it was running Win2000 and all seemed to be in order.

So, the internal wifi adapter was working with Windows 2000?

Sure the wifi not working is not why it is in a thrift store?

From computer specs

Quote:

support for Mini PCI 802.11 internal wireless LAN (optional at time of purchase)

Sure it has one?

Open it up and check to see.
Check all the connections.
Check for dust bunnies.
Clean the fan.
Etc.....

If this does only have a Pentium III processor.
Do not expect a lot of speed from it, even using Puppy.
That is the very minimum for newest Puppies.
Pentium 4 is considered the minimum by most Puppy versions._________________I have found, in trying to help people, that the things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected

Opened it up to look for the wireless card and found that it didn't have one. Checking the service tag on Dell, it turns out that it didn't have one even in its original configuration (which seems really odd to me, since it had the largest available external battery pack, and apparently department sprang for a leather carrying case when they ordered it).

Really appreciate all the replies, @matchpoint @ally @mike @bigpup, sorry it turned out to be something as stupid as this. Thanks for the links too, mike, guess I'll be buying a dongle for this thing.

No worries. It's an easy mistake to make, to assume that all laptops must have a wireless card by default. Many older Dells never came with 'em; my 15-yr-old Inspiron 1100 being a case in point. Its 'big brother' (the 5100) did.....but mine has been upgraded to within an inch of its life over the last few years, and with the exception of the built-in wireless card, now sports higher specs than the 5100 did when new..!

If you have a PCMCIA (CardBus) slot - on Dells it's usually on or around the hard drive 'caddy' - then find yourself one of these:-

According to the specs here, you do have one. (Eeee, it looks like you've even got the old 'pointing stick', too. Marvelous stuff!)

Anyroad, there's usually a bunch of these cards kicking around on eBay or Amazon - often NOS (new 'old' stock).....usually still in the original packaging. Cheap as chips, too; nobody wants 'em anymore. I think I paid around £6 GBP for mine, a couple of years ago.

Hmm. Looks like prices have gone up a bit, but do make sure it's this exact model; NetGear did a bunch with very similar model names, but widely varying specs. You don't want the ones claiming 108 MBps (the WG511[t]); you want the original @ 58 MBps (which is more than enough for most day-to-day browsing, and will support YouTube'n'stuff). But I don't think you'll be doing very much of that with a Pentium III; even the 1100's P4 struggles with it!

(Actually, it appears you should have a Pentium M.....so you may be able to after all..!)

This card uses the old faithful 'ath5k' driver, which really has been in the kernel for a long time. Reliable as anything, too.....and it will free-up another USB port for you. Dell were not overly generous with these in those days.

Thanks again Mike. A wireless card would definitely help, since this thing only has a single USB port.

Just want to confirm what I should be looking for, as I'm a bit confused. Do I look for a WG511 or a WPN511? I'm not seeing any WPN511s at 58 Mbps like you said, they're all claiming 108 Mbps (the documentation in the netgear support page you linked also claims 108 Mbps). Meanwhile, the WG511s I see claim 54 Mbps — not exactly 58 Mbps, but much closer than 108.

Definitely the WPN511. I can't be absolutely certain about the transfer rate without firing up the Dell.....and since I'm about to hit the sack, and the Dell's packed away at the moment, I can't be arsed to check it..!

It's 50 some-odd, for certain. I think the advertisers reckon if they state 50-whatever it is both ways, and double it up to 100 some-odd, it sounds better. Course, it's ultimately down to whatever your ISP has you limited to anyway.....and since our internet connection, although unlimited, is around 10 MBps down/2 MBps up, it's more than capable of coping with that.

Given we don't do internet telly streaming or owt like that (and the only user in the house is me anyway), a basic internet package like the one we have does us fine. I can watch NetFlix on my 'big' old Compaq desktop, or listen to RadioTunes streaming radio, so.....I'm happy.

The WPN-511 will work fine for your old girl, guaranteed.....and works with every Pup I've ever tried it with.

All right, just wanted to make sure. Super fast speeds aren't necessary for me, because I expect to only browse the web on this laptop when a professor needs me to download/upload the odd file Thanks again Mike!

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